


Somewhere to Return To

by latecamellia (caramarie)



Series: To Go and Come Back [2]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Parallel Universes, there are two Wooyoungs so technically poly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:08:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28437378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caramarie/pseuds/latecamellia
Summary: While Yeosang is away, Wooyoung stays at his apartment. He doesn’t expect it when Yeosang comes back for New Year’s Eve.A sequel to Though the Return Does Not Correct.
Relationships: Jung Wooyoung/Kang Yeosang
Series: To Go and Come Back [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2082984
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	Somewhere to Return To

**Author's Note:**

> Happy new year, please enjoy ♥

Over the Christmas break, Wooyoung got into another fight with his flatmates. The fight wasn’t unusual, but the key to Yeosang’s empty apartment in his pocket was. He stewed in his room for an hour, before he thought _fuck it_ , and he moved out. It wasn’t as if he had much to pack up – the flat had come furnished, and most of his stuff was still at his parents’.

Yeosang’s apartment, when he showed up past midnight, was blessedly quiet. He opened the blinds, and he stole one of Yeosang’s beers and sat on the couch and looked out at the city lights. Even the sky was bright on a night like this, the light reflecting off the clouds.

Must be nice, to have your parents pay for an apartment and then be able to run off to another world for the holidays without having to worry about the rent. Wooyoung was going to have to pay for breaking his lease, and Yeosang was going to be back in a few weeks and then what was Wooyoung going to do – sleep on his couch while he tried to find somewhere he could get a decent night’s sleep and an even fucking split on chores?

Not that he’d mind sleeping on Yeosang’s couch. But it might not be the life Yeosang had in mind for himself. Spending half his life in the other world doing Wooyoung-hated-to-think-what with Wooyoung’s doppelganger, and then coming back and having Wooyoung himself sponge off him.

But no, Wooyoung could pay Yeosang rent. Pay Yeosang’s parents rent. If that fit the image _they_ had of what their son’s life should be.

If they knew what Yeosang was actually doing with his Christmas break, they would freak out.

Maybe Wooyoung should have slept on the couch that night – start as you mean to go on – but he would have had to make it up, and Yeosang’s bed was _right there_. And he thought that Yeosang had probably changed the sheets before he went away, so it wasn’t like Wooyoung was sleeping there just because it smelt like Yeosang. It didn’t.

And would Wooyoung have caved and left his flat if Yeosang _had_ been here? Maybe not. That didn’t mean he couldn’t wish Yeosang were here now.

God, he hated the other Wooyoung for this.

* * *

He spent Christmas with his single friends, and he tried not to feel bitter about it. He tried not to think about what Yeosang might be doing – it wasn’t like the other Wooyoung could take him anywhere nice, given the state of that world, but they were together, weren’t they? That was the thing that mattered.

Wooyoung bailed and went home early. _Home_ , although it wasn’t like he really lived there. He hadn’t told the others he’d moved out – he was waiting, he supposed, for Yeosang to get back and tell him he couldn’t stay. Or tell him he could.

It was pathetic. If it hadn’t been for Yeosang going to stay with the other Wooyoung, he never would have felt like this. It never would have occurred to him. Wasn’t that a better way to live your life? Thoughtlessly, without knowing what you had to lose. Who you had to lose. Wooyoung had felt less miserable, that was for sure.

* * *

On New Year’s Eve, Yeosang came back.

Wooyoung was making lunch when he heard the thud from the bedroom. When he went to check it out, Yeosang was there, sitting dazed on the floor in front of the mirror Wooyoung had replaced for him.

Wooyoung hung onto the doorway. His mouth woke up, and he asked, ‘Did you get kicked out?’

Yeosang squinted up at him. ‘No,’ he said. ‘He said … why are you here?’

‘Uh … I’m looking for a new flat,’ Wooyoung said. That didn’t appear to help Yeosang’s confusion. ‘I’m making lunch. Did you want some?’

‘Yes?’ Yeosang got to his feet, and Wooyoung hurried over so that Yeosang could grab onto him.

‘Why are you looking for a new flat?’ Yeosang asked.

‘I just got sick of it,’ Wooyoung said. ‘Buying food and having it just disappear. People having arguments when I was trying to sleep. That sort of thing.’ They went back into the kitchen together, and Yeosang leaned on the bench beside him.

‘Was it that bad?’ he asked.

‘You’re living by yourself,’ Wooyoung said, ‘you wouldn’t know.’

‘So whose food have you been eating?’

‘I went to the shop!’

Yeosang was hiding a smile. ‘It’s okay.’

Yeosang had been living alone here, Wooyoung thought, but he wasn’t alone when he was in the other world. Did the other Wooyoung cook for him, while Yeosang watched? Did Yeosang tease him like this?

‘So why’re you back already?’ Wooyoung asked. He had to cut up more vegetables, if Yeosang was eating.

‘Oh. Um, you’re going out tonight, right? He said I should too.’

‘What, he was worried you’d miss the fireworks?’

‘Something like that.’

Wooyoung glanced over his shoulder – Yeosang’s expression was pensive, but he didn’t seem like someone who’d just had a fight with his alternate-universe boyfriend.

‘We’re all gonna meet up for dinner first,’ Wooyoung said. ‘What will you tell them, that you got bored on your ski trip?’ That was the lie Yeosang had told – that he was going to the mountains with some of his uni friends. Names he’d mentioned but never bothered to introduce any of them to. They made a convenient excuse.

‘I’ll just say I came back for New Year’s,’ Yeosang said. ‘It’s fine.’

His expression was strained though.

‘It’s because you missed us so much, right?’ Wooyoung said. ‘All your other friends are boring.’

Yeosang laughed. ‘They’re not boring,’ he said. ‘They’re just not the kind of people I’d choose to go away with.’ He stood up straighter. ‘Can I help with anything?’

‘I’m fine,’ Wooyoung said, and promptly cut himself. He let the knife clatter to the bench, and stuck his finger in his mouth.

‘Or not?’

‘It’s okay,’ Wooyoung said. He didn’t think it was a bad cut, but small things could still bleed a lot.

‘I’ll get a plaster,’ Yeosang said.

Wooyoung waited while Yeosang scrabbled in the back of the cupboard for the first aid kit. He didn’t know why he felt so tense. No – he knew why he felt so tense. Because he hadn’t been expecting to see Yeosang so soon. Or to have to explain himself so soon.

Yeosang fished out the plasters, and Wooyoung let him put one on. Yeosang was careful about it, wrapping the ends neatly, and it was unnecessary, because Wooyoung could have done it himself. He didn’t need Yeosang to do it for him.

He didn’t need to _want_ Yeosang to do it for him.

‘Do you need me to finish the chopping?’ Yeosang asked.

‘Are you kidding? You just transported back from another world. That’s way more of a risk.’

Wooyoung rinsed the knife, and tried to get back to what he was doing, ignoring Yeosang’s eyes on him.

They talked about what the plan for the night was, how surprised the others were going to be. When Wooyoung was done frying the rice, they sat on the couch to eat, and Yeosang pulled a blanket over them both. But he still, Wooyoung thought, sat too far away.

They ate quietly. Yeosang caught up on the messages on his phone, some of which Wooyoung had answered in his stead. Perhaps not always as Yeosang would have – Yeosang almost choked on his rice at one point, and had to stop and cough for about a minute.

‘Are you dying?’ Wooyoung asked.

‘No,’ Yeosang said, still struggling. ‘It’s just your response to Juhyun.’

‘You didn’t want me to say yes, did you?’ Wooyoung asked. She’d left some plausible deniability, but the girl had definitely been asking Yeosang out. ‘I don’t think I can manage dealing with a fake relationship as well as covering up your real relationship.’

Yeosang’s eyes were watering, and he didn’t answer.

‘Are you sure you’re not dying?’ Wooyoung asked.

‘I’m not sure.’

Wooyoung got him a glass of water, which Yeosang drank it in big gulps, while Wooyoung stood awkwardly over him.

‘It’s best to shut these things down quickly,’ he said, about Juhyun’s message.

‘I guess you’d know,’ Yeosang said. Wooyoung gave him an offended look, which Yeosang ignored, or failed to notice.

He probably wasn’t wrong, though. Wooyoung wasn’t known for dating, although he managed to stay on good terms with the girls who’d tried for it.

Maybe he’d known it about himself all along, even if he hadn’t realised it consciously. He wasn’t looking for a relationship, because he already had someone in his heart.

Wooyoung sat back down, with that distance still between them.

‘Do you know?’ Wooyoung asked, ‘with the Yeosang who died. Um. Were they a thing before, or …’

‘He said no.’

‘Okay.’ Wooyoung started eating again.

‘He said they didn’t have time for things like that,’ Yeosang said. He pushed at his rice listlessly. Maybe Wooyoung shouldn’t have asked. It wasn’t that he wanted the details so much as … well, he wanted to know whether what he was feeling was inevitable. If he hadn’t swapped places with the other Wooyoung back in the spring, would he still feel like this about Yeosang now? Or would he just have continued taking their friendship for granted?

The potential must always have been there.

‘I know this is weird,’ Yeosang said, ‘and I’m asking a lot of you –’

‘Hey,’ Wooyoung said, ‘it’s fine. I’m happy to, whatever. Turn down whatever girls you need me to.’ He said that part to make Yeosang laugh, and it was a relief when he did. As long as things didn’t get too heavy, Wooyoung could deal with this.

‘You know,’ Yeosang said, ‘you don’t need to find another flat. You can stay here.’

Wooyoung’s heart leapt. He tried not to let it show.

‘You’re just saying that so I’ll keep cooking for you.’

‘Maybe,’ Yeosang said. He looked sidelong at Wooyoung, his eyes bright. ‘I think it’s a fair deal.’

‘Really though?’ Wooyoung said. ‘I mean, I know I should have asked before I just dragged myself over here …’

‘Really.’

‘Won’t your parents mind?’

Yeosang shrugged. ‘It’s none of their business.’

‘I think if they’re paying it might be.’

‘They don’t need to know.’

‘You’re big on secrets now, huh.’

He thought Yeosang wouldn’t respond. Yeosang muttered, though, ‘Just about you.’

Wooyoung waited for Yeosang to look over and meet his eyes, and he said, ‘Thank you.’

Yeosang shrugged again. Wooyoung leaned over and hugged him.

‘I’m gonna spill food,’ Yeosang protested.

‘I’d clean it up for you,’ Wooyoung said, but sat back, feeling flustered all of a sudden.

Was this a terrible idea? He should’ve said it was just till he found somewhere new. Maybe Yeosang would be impossible to live with. Maybe that was why the other Wooyoung had sent him back for New Year’s, because … no, Wooyoung couldn’t even pretend to believe that. More likely Wooyoung was the one who would drive Yeosang crazy. Or himself.

Anyway, Yeosang was going to leave again tomorrow. Maybe by the time the term started back, Wooyoung would have his feelings under control.

Yeah, right.

* * *

The funny thing was, when they met the others for dinner that evening, Yeosang barely even had to lie. Maybe it was just that he was quiet and the others were noisy (Wooyoung was certainly in the noisy bracket) but they hardly even questioned his story. Sure, Hongjoong asked if he’d show them photos, but Yeosang just said _maybe later_ and that was it.

Was it always like that? But Yeosang seemed content enough.

Wooyoung felt easier with him there, anyway. Like things were as they should be. Even when they left the restaurant, and got stuck out in the crowds, it was fine as long as he had Yeosang in his sight. He had a reason to grab hold of him, because they didn’t want to get separated.

They’d left the restaurant too late to really get a good spot for the fireworks, but Wooyoung wouldn’t have wanted to wait long in the cold anyway. He felt mostly impatient with it, like he was looking forward to going home.

He was looking forward to going home with Yeosang.

Had he drunk too much? It wasn’t like that meant anything. They were just going to be flatmates. That didn’t mean anything.

As the fireworks started, the group of them huddled closer together. It wasn’t as if Yeosang was particularly nearer to Wooyoung than Yunho or San, but Wooyoung was more aware of him. If Yeosang hadn’t come back for the evening, would he be ringing in the New Year with the other Wooyoung now? There would be no big fireworks in that world, but maybe it was more romantic that way.

The other Wooyoung had told him to come back tonight for a reason. Was it just that the eight of them should spend time together like this? If he were in the other Wooyoung’s place, he wouldn’t want Yeosang to miss out on the rest of his life for his sake. He wouldn’t want him to drift apart from his friends. He wouldn’t want him to miss out on normal things, like going out and being part of a crowd.

And, if Wooyoung considered himself …

The others oohed and aahed, but Wooyoung couldn’t keep his attention on the fireworks at all. He wanted to put his arms around Yeosang. Maybe this time last year he even would have, because he’d been ignorant then. It would have meant something different.

The fireworks display turned into the countdown, everyone’s voices calling in unison. And when the ‘happy new year’ rang out, and the final hurrah of the fireworks went off, gold and green and red, Yeosang turned back to Wooyoung, smiling, and Wooyoung leaned forward and kissed him.

A brief kiss, and Yeosang stood there with a stunned look on his face.

‘Happy new year,’ Wooyoung said.

‘What was that for?’

San was looking at them aghast, that Seonghwa had his put-upon look on. Yeosang wasn’t the only one Wooyoung had stunned.

‘For the new year,’ he said stubbornly. Yeosang didn’t seem aware of the others; he only looked at Wooyoung. Wooyoung couldn’t tell what he was thinking. If they had been alone, Wooyoung thought, he would have kissed him again, and again, until Yeosang would have to say something, or Wooyoung worked it out.

‘I know _I_ wish all my friends happy new year with tongue,’ Jongho said, and Yunho elbowed him.

‘Leave them alone.’

Wooyoung thought about arguing that there had been no tongue involved, but somehow he didn’t think that would help matters.

Yeosang, maybe, was thinking the same thing; he’d gone pink.

‘Putting that aside,’ Hongjoong said, ‘how is everyone getting home?’

It probably wasn’t the right time, Wooyoung thought, to share that Yeosang had agreed to let him stay. He was getting quite enough knowing looks as it was. Maybe Yeosang would change his mind anyway, seeing how Wooyoung couldn’t keep his stupid feelings to himself. They’d get home and Yeosang would sit him down and explain gently, _sorry, but I only want to bang your doppelganger and not you_.

He’d probably be too nice to kick him out straight away, at least. Small mercies.

* * *

The subway too noisy and full of drunks to talk much. It was quieter when they got off, but the streets were still public, and Wooyoung couldn’t bring himself to break the silence. He just peeked at Yeosang’s face, and thought how strange it was, that he couldn’t read him at all.

Once they were in the apartment lobby, waiting for the lift, Wooyoung said, ‘You can tell me off now.’

‘I’m not gonna tell you off,’ Yeosang said. ‘Geez, Wooyoung.’ He shut his eyes. ‘Just … why …’

‘Because I wanted to,’ Wooyoung said. The lift arrived and Yeosang took the spot opposite him, his back against the wall. Wooyoung kept on talking. ‘I feel like one day you’re gonna disappear and you won’t come back. You know I couldn’t stand that, right?’

‘You don’t have to kiss me to make sure I come back.’ Yeosang didn’t meet his eyes.

‘Don’t I? I guess I just embarrassed you in front of everyone for no reason, then. Wow, that’s going to be awkward.’

‘Wooyoung –’

The lift doors opened. Wooyoung stepped out first, fumbling for his key. The key Yeosang had given him.

‘Anyway, if you’re gonna kick me out, can it wait till tomorrow?’

‘I’m not gonna kick you out,’ Yeosang said. ‘Stop making assumptions.’ He let Wooyoung open the door, following him in.

‘I guess it doesn’t matter, if you’re gonna leave again tomorrow anyway. Today. Whatever.’

‘I’m coming back,’ Yeosang said. He sounded frustrated now, grabbing Wooyoung’s hand in both of his. ‘You know I’ll always come back.’

Wooyoung didn’t. But Yeosang’s grip on his hand was tight, like that was an evidence of sincerity.

‘Convince me,’ Wooyoung said.

‘What?’

Wooyoung leaned in and he kissed him again. Yeosang seemed less taken by surprise this time; he kissed Wooyoung back, and he let Wooyoung back him into the wall, their bodies flush against each other.

Wooyoung should have done this before. He should have done this long ago, before he’d known there was more to the world than just this world; before the other Wooyoung ever had the opportunity to seduce Yeosang, _his_ Yeosang.

Except it had never occurred to him back then, had it? What an idiot.

‘Wooyoung –’ 

‘Shh.’

Wooyoung pressed his leg between Yeosang’s knees, and Yeosang whimpered. He rocked his hips forward. It was intoxicating, that Wooyoung was able to get such a reaction from him.

Still, before he got too carried away, he should ask. ‘This isn’t going to be a problem when you go back, is it?’

‘Hm?’

God, Yeosang looked gorgeous, with his eyes dark and his lips swollen from kissing.

‘You know. I don’t have to worry about getting dragged through the mirror and beaten up.’

Yeosang’s ears went red when he blushed. It was cute. ‘You don’t have to worry about that.’

Wooyoung moved his hand around the small of Yeosang’s back, his fingers slipping under the edge of Yeosang’s waistband. ‘Don’t tell me you two have _discussed_ it.’

Yeosang was definitely blushing now. ‘Says the one who’s asking me right now. You know you’re not that different at all.’

‘Really,’ Wooyoung said. He probably didn’t want to think about that too deeply. ‘You must have a hard life.’ He kissed down Yeosang’s neck, and bit lightly down on his skin, to hear the noise that brought from him.

‘You’re seriously the worst,’ Yeosang said. It didn’t sound to Wooyoung like a bad thing at all, with Yeosang’s voice gone all liquid like that. But still.

‘You shouldn’t say that,’ Wooyoung said. He placed his hands on either side of Yeosang’s head, fingers curled in his hair, and Yeosang looked at him with no apology in his eyes at all.

‘What do you want me to say?’ Yeosang said.

Wooyoung kissed him, and he ground their hips together, and then, because he was crazy, he said, ‘Tell me you love me.’

‘I love you,’ Yeosang said. ‘That doesn’t mean you’re not the worst.’

Wooyoung almost laughed. ‘Worse than the other Wooyoung? Or would you say we’re about equal?’

‘Seriously, shut up.’

‘Mm.’ Wooyoung kissed his mouth, and he kissed his throat. And then he said, ‘I don’t wanna.’

‘You’re equally horrible.’

‘You love me, though.’

‘Yeah.’

‘You have to say it and not be rude.’

‘I love you,’ Yeosang said. And he still _sounded_ like he wanted to be rude, or to undercut it, but Wooyoung would take it.

He wondered what else he could get Yeosang to say, besides.

* * *

When they went at last to sleep, Wooyoung kept his arm over Yeosang tight. So that if Yeosang tried to disappear, he would know.

But Yeosang did not disappear.

It was afternoon by the time they actually got up and ate on New Year’s Day. Yeosang checked his phone as they were eating, and he pulled a face.

‘What is it?’ Wooyoung asked.

Yeosang looked over at him, and then back down at his phone.

‘Nothing,’ he said. ‘It’s just Seonghwa. I don’t think you’ll want to answer this one.’

‘I’ll just read it later,’ Wooyoung said. Yeosang raised his eyebrows, and said nothing. ‘Do you really have to go back?’

‘I said I was going to.’

Wooyoung lowered his head to the table. ‘But do you have to?’

Yeosang looked amused. ‘Yes.’

It wasn’t as if Wooyoung wanted him to break his word. It was a good thing, if Yeosang did what he said he’d do. Because it meant that he’d come back too. But Wooyoung would still miss him.

‘What if I get bored and repaint the apartment?’

‘Then you get to explain it to my parents.’

Wooyoung looked at the walls appraisingly. ‘You could come back and it would be lime-green.’

‘Uh-huh,’ Yeosang said. ‘I guess I’ll deal with that when it comes to it.’ But then he met Wooyoung’s eyes, and he was laughing.

‘Okay,’ Wooyoung said. ‘I won’t repaint. Not yet.’

‘Not yet?’

‘Yeah, I might pick the wrong shade of lime green and you’d hate it.’

‘Ah.’

Wooyoung wasn’t going to say something like. _Not till your parents accept me as a son-in-law and won’t try to get rid of me._ That was too much even to joke about.

‘Do you really want to stay here?’ Yeosang asked. His voice had turned small.

‘Why wouldn’t I want to stay with you?’

‘I kind of always thought, you know, you’d rather live with a whole bunch of people.’

‘Yeah, well, I learned how annoying most people are,’ Wooyoung said. He tilted his head at Yeosang, and then he said, ‘Anyway, this way if you don’t come back, I get all your stuff.’

Yeosang looked skeptical. Fair enough – he’d already given Wooyoung a key, the first time he went to the other world. He already trusted Wooyoung with that.

‘Also I love you,’ Wooyoung said. Yeosang looked away quickly, embarrassed. ‘You have to say it too.’

Would the world be different, if Wooyoung had told him that a year ago, before Wooyoung had ever felt sorry for his alternate self and let him into this world?

‘I love you,’ Yeosang said.

Maybe. But maybe the way things had turned out wasn’t so bad after all.


End file.
